Chennai (The Hawk): According to officials on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu government has announced an Orange alert for seven districts and a vacation for schools and institutions as the northeast monsoon lashes the state with rain.
The districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Villupuram, and Vellore have been placed on orange alert.
Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Villupuram, and Vellore districts have declared vacations just for schools, in contrast to Chennai and Tiruvallur, which have declared holidays for both schools and colleges.
Since the northeast monsoon arrived in Tamil Nadu on October 29, rain has pelted much of the state, with Chennai, the state capital, and nearby areas seeing heavy to very heavy precipitation.
In Chennai, two individuals have already passed away: Devendran, a 52-year-old autorickshaw driver, who died from an electric shock after becoming caught in a waterlogged region, and Shanthi, a 47-year-old woman who died after her house's balcony collapsed on her.
Till November 5, Tamil Nadu is expected to see heavy to very heavy rain, along with thunder and lightning.
Inundation has occurred in the majority of the city's districts because the construction of storm drains in several places of Chennai is still ongoing. Locals did, however, express delight with some regions' reduced waterlogging.
In an interview with IANS, P. Prakash Shenoy, a 42-year-old businessman from Chennai's Ashok Nagar, said: "The stormwater drain work is still not finished, thus there is waterlogging in several areas. However, since last year, things have changed for the better, and we anticipate that everything is resolved.
In the upcoming 24 hours, the IMD expects heavy to very heavy rain in the Tamil Nadu districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Tiruvanamallai.
Ministers and state officials attended a high-level conference called by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to discuss issues linked to the rain. Stalin also convened a virtual meeting with 21 district collectors to discuss the problems caused by the torrential rain and consequent flooding.
In locations where there has been heavy to very heavy rain, residents of low-lying areas were evacuated, and aid centres have been set up.
(Inputs from Agencies)